


The Practical Reason for Being a Wandering Soul

by firebird_and_pegasus



Series: Enjolras and His Friends [2]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friendship, Gen, such as rude roommates, typical college dorm problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:34:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28815711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firebird_and_pegasus/pseuds/firebird_and_pegasus
Summary: Enjolras runs into a friend after a late night study session. He quickly learns that Jehan has a slightly more practical reason for wandering around after dark than looking for inspiration.
Relationships: Enjolras & Jean Prouvaire
Series: Enjolras and His Friends [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2086983
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	The Practical Reason for Being a Wandering Soul

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is part 2 of my ongoing series on Enjolras interacting with his friends. This is just a sweet little one shot of him being a protective friend/older sibling figure to our favorite poet, who probably needs to tell their friends when they have problems instead of wandering around all night as an avoidance tactic.

Enjolras signed and checked the time before crossing the street and approaching his friend. “Jehan Prouvaire, what on earth are you doing out?”

Jehan smiled, “I could ask you the same thing.”

“Combeferre needed help studying for his exam tomorrow. You know how his work has been lately. Now what are you doing wandering around at two in the morning on a Wednesday? I don’t even think the bars are open at this point.”

Jehan’s smile turned wistful, “That is exactly why I am here. Everything is prettier when everyone else is asleep.”

“I can’t argue with that.” Enjolras admitted. The normally crowded streets really were quite beautiful when he was not wrestling with everyone his way. However, Enjolras still did not like the idea of any of his friends just wandering alone after dark. Even he had promised to text Combeferre when he got back, just as a precaution. Since he was thinking about it, he sent a quick text to let him know why the text would be later than usual so he wouldn’t worry.

“Besides, words are not being kind to me right now. I get short phrases that do not go together or ideas with no pattern to go with them, I just needed to clear my head a bit.”

Enjolras nodded. He did that with speeches sometimes. One brilliant sentence would pop into his brain that has nothing to do with the topic at hand. He found that watching a short episode of something normally helped get his mind back on track, but he could see how going for a walk would help too.

They walked in silence for a few blocks before Jehan yawned. 

“Want me to walk you back to your dorm?” Enjolras asked.

“Not quite yet.”

Enjolras gave them a look. “Jehan, you are tired, I am tired, even poets looking for inspiration need sleep now and then.”

“Well, I would be able to rest there anyway, not until my roommate goes to sleep.”

“Your roommate?” Enjolras asked, suddenly worried.

“Well, my roommate and whoever he found to make love with tonight.” They said it in a very matter-of-fact way, as if it was not nearly as big of a deal as Enjolras thought it was. Jehan yawned again.

“Would you like the spend the rest of the night at my place?”

They looked somewhat surprised at the offer. “Honestly, that sounds wonderful, but I do not want to be a bother. Really, this is nothing. I have gotten used to it.”

That statement only made Enjolras more worried. How long had they been doing this? How many times could they have been robbed, or worse? He quickly started talking to distract himself from the mental images he was getting, “You are not being a bother at all. In fact, new rule. You come over whenever your roommate becomes a problem. I would rather know that you are somewhere safe than have you wander alone all night.”

They smiled shyly, “Are you sure?”

Enjolras rolled his eyes before half dragging them in the direction of his apartment. “Yes, I am sure. Just text me to make sure I am there first.”

Jehan laughed, “Oh yes. Would hate to walk all the way over there only to discover that Combeferre needed help with his studying again.”

They got to the apartment fairly quickly, considering how long they had been wandering. 

“Cosette, Marius’s girlfriend, lives in that one.” Enjolras said, pointing out the door just down the hall that now had a beautiful fall wreath on it that he suspected was homemade. He messed with the lock for a moment before opening the door.

“Marius needs to invite her to a meeting. I would like to meet her. She sounds very kind.” Jehan said, admiring the wreath.

“She is. She also makes the best cookies.”

“In exchange for spider extermination, so I have heard.”

Enjolras laughed as they entered his apartment. “Yep, and whenever she ‘makes too many’ as if ‘too many’ is even posable.”

Jehan slept soundly on the pullout bed that night, and several other nights in the following days. Enjolras had no idea how often Jehan’s roommate had girls over until a week later when he realized that they had spent more nights at his place than their own. Not that he was complaining. He did not want to even think about how many nights they had spent wandering in the dark before he found them. He was far happier knowing that his friend has a safe place to go. Also, he enjoyed not being in the apartment by himself all the time. He had not realized how quiet it was until he had someone to talk to. It was nice to have a friend around so often, even if he did notice a stockpile of teas forming in the back of his pantry that was defiantly not his.


End file.
